Marble target game



Jan. 9, 1934. w. w. HARRIS MARBLE TARGET GAME Filed Aug. 5, 1931-INVENTOR William W. H?

NEY

Patented Jan. 9, 1934 STATES This invention relates to games.

More particularly, this invention relates to games wherein marbles, orother spherical objects are propelled with gun-like precision at atarget or other objective mark and wherein skill is the dominatingfactor, rather than mere chance.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a target in whichthe objective point, or points, include means whereby the projectedmarble, or the like, is retained when a hit is scored,

thus providing visual registration of such accomplishment.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for the automaticreturn of the projectile to the propelling device in case a hit is notscored by any particular shot.

Another important object of this invention is to provide gun orprojectile propelling device wherein the returned projectiles arereceived in a projectile receiving magazine and wherein the manualdepression of a spring controlled lever segregates a single projectilewhich is propelled, upon the release of said lever out of a deliverybarrel portion of the propelling device.

These highly important features and objects of the invention will bemore fully understood as set forth in the following detail descriptionin connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is aperspective View of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the left-hand portion ofFig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2, on a stillgreater scale, and also illustrating a movement of the gun and themarbles;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing the game comprises a base board, illustrated asof lozenge shape, or the like, the base board 10 being bounded by thelimit strips 11, 11, 11, 11. The target 12 of suitable construction isdisposed at the center, i. e., at the short diagonal of the lozengeconfiguration. The base board 10 is inclined in opposite directions fromits center 10a, toward the opposite ends 10b, and supported in suchrelation by a cen-' ter block 100 and end blocks 10d.

The target 12 comprises in essence an opening 13, constructed toremovably retain a marble or other suitable projectile, and whenretained to be observed through the opening 13 from the 0pposite side ofthe target 12.

As is illustrated in the drawing, one form of retaining means comprisesa strip 14 of rubber or like resilient material.

Most preferably, each target opening 13 is provided with strips 14a,14b, of rubber or of other resilient material, secured to the outer faceof the edge of the opening 13, each strip 14a, 1412, being cut away toprovide flaps 15 at each side and at the top of each opening, said flapsbeing preferably integrally connected with one another. In Figs. 2 and6, a marble 16 is illustrated as retained in position in an opening 13,and it will appear that such marble 16 when thus retained is observablefrom opposite sides of the target 12.

For gun sighting purposes, each gun is pivotally connected at its innerend relative to the base board 10, as by pivotal connection to eachsupport 1003. Such pivotal connection is illustrated in the form ofvertical pivot pin 18, secured to the extended base 19 of the support10d, the pin 18 freely entering the opening 20 in the base of the gun1'7.

The gun 1'7 comprises an entry compartment 21, the bottom face 22 ofwhich is substantially flush with the terminal of the adjacent decliningbase 10, the bottom face 22 declining toward the interior of the gun1'7. As appears in Fig. 4 the terminal portion of the bottom face 22 iscircular or of other arcuate contour coacting with a correspondingcontour of thet'erminal portion of the base board 10 for gun sightingpurposes. As appears more fully hereinafter suitable means are providedfor retarding a marble 16 within'the entry compartment 21, for thegeneral purpose of limiting the number of marbles projected by the gun.

The gun' 17 further comprises marble projecting means of any suitableform and, as illustrated, comprises the projecting member 23 hingedintermediate its length at 24 to the hinge pin 25, the end portion 26 ofthe projecting member 23 being secured to one end of the retractilespring 27, the loop end of which is anchored to the eye-pin 28, thespring serving as the motive power of the projecting member 23. Thetrigger for the projecting member 23 may be of any suitable form and, asillustrated-comprises the hook 30 pivoted at 31 and biased by theexpansile spring 33, attached to its tail portion 32. The hook 30cooperates with a locking opening 34 disposed in the exteriorlyprojecting end 23a of the projecting member 23.

The projecting member 23 is provided with suitable means for receiving asingle marble 16, at any time, as by cupping the member 23 as isindicated at 35.

In Fig. 2 the projecting member is shown in loaded position at whichstage the motive power spring 2'7 is tensioned, and a marble 16areceived within the cupped portion 35. Release of the projecting member23 is afiorded by manual downward pressure upon the tail 32 of thereleasing hook .30, whereby the projecting member 23 is released undertension of its motive power spring 27, the loaded marble 16a propelledthrough the discharge compartment 36, the movement of these parts beingindicated by the arrows 37, 38, the direction of propulsion of themarble 'lfia being determined by the pivotal position of the gun 17relative to the center line of the base board 10. V

For enhancing interest in the game a plurality of target openings 13 maybe disposed in uniform relation to one another in the target 12.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my inventionprovides a double oppositely arranged target having a series of hittingobjectives on each side thereof which present corresponding targetconditions to opposed players.

Any suitable rules of play may be formulated.

Three or other definite number of marbles may be alloted to each playerand the game may be declared as won by the player who first eifects theregistry of hits in the three objective marks. The quick and automaticreturn of projectiles which .do not hit the objective targets to thepropelling gun permits rapid loading and shooting, thus providing a gameof constant action, the players not being limited to shooting in turn,but permitted to shoot with competitive rapidity. In the particularmodification described and shown in the drawing the objective marks arein the form of directly opposed recesses having a through, i. e.,communicating opening therebetween of slightly less diameter than theprojectile. The recesses, proper, are of suificient diameter and depthfor free reception of the projectile, butare guarded at their outer faceby yieldable elements which restrict at least a portion of the immediateentrances to the recesses to a slightly less dimension than the diameterof the projectile. Thus it will be seen that while the velocity of thepropelled projectile is sufficient to carry it by the yieldable guardand into the recess, the force of the rebound is not sunicient toovercome the resistance of the yieldable guard and the projectile isthereby retained as a visually registered bit.

It will also be seen that the provision of directly opposed targetobjectives adapted to receive and retain the propelled projectile, andthe further provision of a communicating opening therebetween of onlyslightlyless dimension than the diameter of the projectile, constitutean important feature of the invention. This arrangement provides anextremely interesting feature of this shooting game as a playersregistered hits are not only observable by the opponent,

but their protrusion on the opponents side permits the latter todislodge the registered hit by shooting from his own side into thatpartieular target objective.

Whereas, I have described my invention by reference to a specific formthereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a spherical projectile shooting game, the combination of avertically disposed target provided with an opening, means associatedwith said opening for retaining the projectile when it enters therein,projectile propelling means having an .upper delivery chamber and alower receiving chamber, and means for automatically returning theprojectile to the receiving chamber of said propelling means when theprojectile is not retained in said target opening by the means provided.forthat purpose.

2. In a spherical projectile shooting game, the combination of anelongated body part, double faced target part disposed midway of theends of said body part, said target being provided with a series ofopenings to serve as hitting objectives, the said openings beingeffectively slightly less in dimension than the diameter of theprojectile, means disposed on both faces of said target part inassociation with each of said openings for retaining the projectile whenthe latter is propelled into any one of said openings and projectilepropelling means disposed at each end of said body part.

3.. In a spherical projectile shooting game, a two faced target havingan opening therethrough which serves as a hitting objective on opposedfaces of said target, the said opening being restricted in dimension ata point between the two said opposed target faces to prevent thecomplete passage of the projectile iherethrough, and means disposed onboth said opposed target faces in association with the said opening forretaining the propelled projectile when seated in the said restrictedopening.

4. In a spherical projectile shooting game a vertically extending targethaving a vertically-disposed recess therein serving as a hittingobjective and means in association with said recess for fixedlyretaining a spherical projectile when propelled into the said recess.

5. In a spherical projectile shooting game, the combination of a bodypart, an upstanding target part having a multiple of laterally disposedhitting objectives, means acting in association with the said hittingobjectives for the fixed retention of the projectile when a hit iseffected, and projectile propelling means including a projectilereceiving magazine swiveled on said body part to permit a variable aim'.

6. In a spherical projectile shooting game, a targetpart, a projectilepropelling means comprising a projectile receiving magazine, a deliverybarrel and spring actuated lever for receiving a single projectile fromsaid receiving magazine and propelling said single projectile throughsaid delivery barrel the said propelling means together with itsreceiving magazine being movable in relation to said target part topermit of variable aim.

'7. In a spherical projectile shooting game, projectile propelling meanscomprising a lowerly dis- 5 posed projectile receiving magazine, anupwardly disposed delivery barrel, and a spring-actuated lever subjectto manual manipulation for receiving the foremost projectile in saidmagazine and elevating and propelling it through said up f per deliverybarrel.

WILLIAM W. HARRIS.

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